SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs eye their two upcoming opponents coming into Friedrich Arena this week. Mount Marty and Northwestern are next on the docket and are two chances for Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Basketball to surge into the win column. CUNE went on the road and dropped another heartbreaking overtime loss to conference rival Doane (93-87, 2 OT) and fell at Briar Cliff (73-56) in Newman Flanagan Center.
This Week
Wednesday, Jan. 15 vs. Mount Marty (8-9, 2-9 GPAC), 6 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Jan. 18 vs. Northwestern (12-5, 8-3 GPAC), 2 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs went up on Doane (69-66) with over a minute to play after a Kristin Vieselmeyer 3-pointer. Leading by three in the closing seconds, Concordia let the lead slip via Mak Hatcliff's free throws and a jump ball in favor of the Tigers to end regulation. They would finish with an 8-1 run while besting the Bulldogs for the first time in 16 games. Despite the loss, Raelyn Kelty had her career high in points (20) and rebounds (14). Megan Belt (16), Kendal Brigham (15), Vieselmeyer (11) and Abby Heemstra (11) would claw into double figures. Brigham (seven), Belt (five) and Vieselmeyer (five) totaled 17 of the team’s 22 assists. The Wahoo, Neb., native grabbed a game high three steals.
· At the halftime break, the Dawgs were only down one (32-31) against the No. 9 Chargers on the road. Briar Cliff found an offensive rhythm in the third using a 13-0 scoring drive to give a cushion with three treys in the stretch. Concordia fought back in the fourth but couldn’t make the run they needed to put the home team in deep waters. Brigham and Vieselmeyer finished with 12 apiece with Kelty and Belt reaching double digits (10). Kelty (three) and Brigham (four) teamed up for seven of the team’s nine steals. Abby Krieser tied for a game high five assists.
· Kristin Vieselmeyer, a junior out of Holyoke, Colo., has started to step up her game as noted by Head Coach Drew Olson. The Holyoke High alum has scored a team high in two of the past three games and has reached double figures in each of the past three. Reaching her career high (27) against Dordt (Nov. 23), the forward is averaging near double digits per game (9.9). Vieselmeyer has shot 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 86 percent from the charity stripe. The Concordia starter surpassed 500 career points versus in the recent Doane game.
· With the past two games, Kendal Brigham jumps to No. 8 in for career all-time 3-point fields goals made in Concordia history. Brigham, out of Wahoo, Neb., surpassed Dani Hoppes (2016-18) with her four treys against Dordt. The Wahoo High product has 177 total and sits behind the leading points scorer Bailey Morris (2011-15) with 201 made from long range. The lighting quick guard has shot 36.4 percent from three in her career thus far.
· The Bulldogs have defeated Mount Marty 16 games in a row having last lost in the series in the 2015-16 season. Coach Olson has accumulated a 28-4 overall record against the Lancers. Concordia has had success against Northwestern with a 9-2 record in the last five years. The Bulldogs went 2-0 versus the Red Raiders last season and won 75-55 inside Friedrich Arena.
· Concordia sits 22nd in the Massey ratings behind three GPAC teams in Dordt (1st), Briar Cliff (5th) and Dakota Wesleyan (10th). Northwestern (24th) and Hastings (25th) are the last conference opponents inside the top 25. The Bulldogs have the toughest strength of schedule in the country so far and many in the conference are at the top. Top-20 matchups for CUNE have been No. 1 Dordt (twice), No. 4 Southern Oregon University, No. 5 Briar Cliff (twice), No. 7 Dakota State University and No. 8 Dakota Wesleyan. The Tigers (2nd), Defenders (5th), Hastings (7th) and Morningside (10th) have all had top-10 tough slates.
· The GPAC standings still have Dordt at the top with an unblemished 11-0 conference record. There is a log jam for second with four teams having eight wins: Briar Cliff (8-2), Dakota Wesleyan (8-2), Doane (8-3) and Northwestern (8-3). Morningside (7-4) follows closely to that pack and Hastings (6-4) holds on to the seventh seed slot. Concordia (4-8) has the last GPAC tournament spot at No. 8. Mount Marty (2-9), Waldorf (2-9), Midland (1-10) and College of Saint Mary (0-11) make up the bottom of the table.
· Having played four opponents (Dordt twice) in the top-15, the Bulldogs have totaled a 1-5 record against the highly rated competitors. Concordia emerged with a signature road win on Nov. 9 when it toppled then sixth-ranked Dakota State, 64-54, in Madison, S.D. It lost an overtime heartbreaker to No. 1 Dordt in both games against the Defenders. The NAIA Women's Basketball RPI put out a release (Jan. 6) that slotted CUNE at No. 64 in the ratings and with a top-10 strength of schedule rating (10th). The following GPAC teams are rated in the top 50 RPI: Dordt (2), Briar Cliff (20), Hastings (22), Dakota Wesleyan (24) and Doane (41). The Broncos (15) Defenders (24) and Mustangs (48) have the other highest strengths of schedule in the GPAC.
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Kendal Brigham, 5-5 (11.6)
G – Abby Krieser, 5-9 (7.9)
G – Megan Belt, 5-6 (7.3)
F – Raelyn Kelty, 5-11 (10.6)
F – Kristin Vieselmeyer, 6-2 (9.9)
The opponents
The Lancers are 8-9 overall and have their only two wins in conference play (2-9) in the last three games. Mount Marty defeated Waldorf (93-51) and College of Saint Mary (81-50), both at home. With the Lancers looking to win their conference game on the road, they will rely on Sidney Thue (10.9), Kaela Martinez (10.3) and Stevi Fallis (10.2) collecting over 10 points a contest. Averaging 68.2, they shoot 39.4 percent from the field and seize 38.1 rebounds. Thue (7.8) and Alexus Motley (5.4) crash the boards, while Martinez dishes out 2.6 points per game. Fallis paces the team in steals (1.2).
Mount Marty Projected Starting Five
G – Kaela Martinez, 5-8 (10.3)
G – Stevi Fallis, 5-5 (10.2)
F – Alexus Motley, 5-8 (9.7)
F – Sidney Thue, 6-1 (10.9)
F – Signe Bang, 6-1 (4.8)
The Red Raiders have acquired a 12-5 total showing with an 8-3 GPAC record. Having split its last four games, Northwestern defeated Midland (87-48) and College of Saint Mary (102-60) but fell to Hastings (69-60) and Dakota Wesleyan (63-59). Averaging 75.1 points per game, the Red Raiders allow 61.4 with their opponents shooting 39.2 percent. With 41.6 rebounds, they lean on Molly Schany for points (18.8) and rebounds off the glass (10.8) as she leads the team and is top-5 in-conference in both categories. Hali Anderson has a hold on assists (7.4) and steals (3.0) for NWC.
Northwestern Projected Starting Five
G – Halli Anderson, 5-6 (15.6)
G – Allison Piercy, 5-8 (7.3)
G – Ashton Wobig, 5-9 (6.4)
F – Molly Schany, 6-1 (18.8)
F – Lexie Van Kekerix, 5-11 (9.2)
Up next
Concordia is set to face the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Neb., next Wednesday. Following, the Bulldogs will make their way to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the Concordia Invitational Tournament (Jan. 24-25).